FLEXIBLE POWER FINS for SUPERIOR HULLS for FLYING BOATS AND SURFING SHIPS

ABSTRACT

An alternating Open Chamber Cavity for employing a very useful safe and controllable new lifting plus lubricating hydrodynamic force for effectively improving marine transportation in a seaway, I named SAFELY CONTROLLED, AUTOMATED WATER DISSECTED LUBRICATION AND LIFT FORCE, has been discovered and innovated for use by myself; and I have also invented the automated mechanism I named “FLEXIBLE POWER-FINS”, for controlling the safe exploitation of this beneficial natural phenomenon, as well as innovated a way to significantly improve the turning capabilities of a watercraft in motion.

This invention is historically ingenious in its innovated method for dealing with the components of Induced Drags and Wave making Skin and other Frictions plus Resistances along the wetted sides and bottom underside of moving hulls' surface; to grant back to the boat, vessel or ship more efficient use of its exerted Propulsion Thrust, as significant net power gain in return.

The invention creates an autonomously automated flexible-open-chamber-cavity which always houses safely beneficial Water and Trapped Air Lubricated hulls with the option to secure further injecting added air/gas and material lubrication.

This invention deals with transferring the new technology for ‘effective-controlling the wanted active water dissection’ which is created under the moving craft, here for now, for use on existing and known hull's technologies and designs; and this, for converting and upgrading any existing hulls and installations on new hulls, so to have the advantages of this newly created class of surfing and flying crafts' hulls' this invention offers; advantages which are gained by simply installing this new product line I have invented and named “Flexible Power-Fins”, which are installed in parallel to each other and also in parallel to the craft's hull' keel at its midway, multihulls as well, so to create/form an automated open-flexible-chamber where its outer lips are at the hull's chine form or at any selected lesser width along the wetted bottom of the water-craft—thereby creating a new open-chamber area granting new positive dynamic lift over the hulls movement resistance and instead of wave-making plus skin and drag resistances which exists in all other hulls as well as granting additional dynamic stability with a new surfing and/or flying capability which is further aided by the created water-lubrication and natural air-intake and also with other optional injected lubrication along the wetted under-surface of an inclining and a flowing hull, a very desirable new innovative combination of aquatic dynamics, which will function completely in harmony with nature for carefree steering of the craft, and will yield for free, the advantages of “safely controlled automated water dissected lubrication”. Multiple open-chamber areas are created on multi stepped hulls.

The “Flexible Power-Fins” technology is a simplified effective invention for beneficial flexible dissecting of the water while manoeuvring, as well as combining the lifting and lubricating force which is created under the craft between the two flexible “power-fins” during forward motion, and with the superior turning capability gain which is automatically always also directly applied to assist the wanted piloted turning dynamics of the moving craft, to yield a yet higher efficiency and superior performance obtainable by any present capabilities of existing marine hulls without this invention.

The installed “Flexible Power-Fins” product on an existing craft, which creates the “Flexible Open Chamber Area” apparatus with Autonomously Automated Alternating Cavity, is a very useful invention for utilizing the many benefits of “safely controlled automated water dissected lubrication” phenomenon for elevating and lubricating and also stabilizing force which is created by the new flexible dynamics of such upgraded crafts; and this is very good, in order to gain all its Economic-benefits plus its Superior Aquatic-Transportation qualities and many identified new advantages while traveling on the calm and/or active surface of water.

-   -   The product is effective for Motor as well as Sail powered         crafts. In all types of hulls, the propelling or sailing         horsepower should be lined with the hull's new and more defined         directional dynamics, and the Flexible-Power-Fins are customized         for the hull's shape and construction, for best results.     -   In large crafts, such as Vessels and Ships with Displacement         Hulls, the efficiency of the ‘water lifting force’ is converted         into the water-lubricating force, and thereby increases the         efficiency of the craft's manoeuvring and sailing dynamics.     -   In small crafts, such as Toys, Boats and small Crafts, and in         seaplanes; the lifting force is more effective than the         lubricating force.         In order to know the difference between this new kind of ride on         water, to all the ones you may have already had before; you need         to experience it by testing a craft with this product!     -   Disclosed is the method of attaching the invention to Toys &         Fun/pleasure-watercrafts, Working and Sports' plus Racing Boats,         Working and Leisure Crafts, small and large Vessels, Ships and         as well Seaplanes.     -   One simply installs the properly sized “Flexible Power-Fins”         product, as recommended by its manufacturers, to any of the         above given water surface going crafts.

DRAWING

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

3 claims, 2 drawings on one page.

The “Flexible Power-Fins” product line is illustrated in FIG. 1.

The “Flexible Power-Fins” invention is made of three key parts which act:

1. For attaching the mechanism to the hull/Hulls of the craft, a fabricated long square shaped strip “A”.

2. For hinging and holding the A and B parts, a metal Core or equivalent “ROD”.

3. For automatically creating and cancelling the beneficial Open Chamber/Alternating Cavity area, a fabricated long triangular shaped strip “B”, is Hinged via’ the ROD to strip A. “B” is the power-fin itself.

The forth part, is a specialised Spacer strip of suitable/proper material for proper Installation and for sealing as well as absorbing any shocks to the installed product.

The fifth is a Spring or a Set of Springs for optional closing the power-fin snug to the hull, with an optional pin for hooking extended leverage where manual or powered automation is wanted.

The illustration in FIG. 2, is a drawing of the view from underneath the hull of the craft, is an artistic illustration for showing the created open-chamber/alternating-cavity area, which is innovatively flexible to be variable in size/volume for most beneficial safe operating use, on each side of the keel, resulted from the proper installation of the new “Flexible Power-Fins” invention attached to the under-surface of the craft; creating an open-chamber area which is enlarged towards the stern of the craft on planing type hulls but is more constant on displacement hulls. The created open-chamber/alternating-cavity area is governed by the science for Proper Installation axis of the Rod/Core of the proper set of matching Power-Fins, and is innovated so to autonomously open and close each or both sides of the effective open-chamber's area's alternating sides—thereby autonomously automatically controlling the total wanted dynamic lubrication plus lifting powers of the changing directional water flows during turning and forward motion of a watercraft, underneath each hull of a craft, within its seaway and atop the surface of calm and of active waters, in natural harmony with the method of steering and powering

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This is new discovery based invention of a natural phenomenon captured and exploited by the invention. This is a new technology of real Surfing and Flying crafts by automated pliable water dissection.

There may be one recognized field for inventions which are similar to this invention, it is the aquatic crafts' class named “Surface-Skimmers”. This invention will advance the evolution of most “Surface-Skimmers”, as it grants a new advanced standard capability for all other existing high-speed hulls, the ability, to gain more stable more comfortable ride of true-flying on water itself; but this invention can only be seen as being the first generation of “surfing & flying’ crafts”!

For displacement hulls, the water-lubrication advantage created by the “Flexible Power-Fins” invention as a product line, tends to be different in its designed shape or recommended location on a hull but shares this same flexible-open-chamber principal; granting superior economic plus hydrodynamic benefits by innovative continuous mechanism method of function.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

I have no knowledge of any prior art to this, my original new discovery based invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a result of scientific research in the field of faster transportation on water, by innovated beneficial water lubrication with and without adding air/gas and other material lubrication. This invention is based on my discovery of a natural phenomenon I have named as the “BTR-HS” principle and the art is in beneficial water dissection for primarily water lubrication and lift. The “BTR-HS” phenomenon I have discovered, yields superior performance plus economic efficiencies with superior dynamics' stability and turning manoeuvrings capabilities plus new net power gain from the applied propulsion power which is propelling a craft, for free; and this, by using my invention of the “Flexible Power-Fins” products line, and of the “Superior Hulls” type Hulls design I have also invented.

The “Flexible Power-Fins” products line for forming a specialised Flexible-Open-Chamber with Autonomously Automated Alternating Cavity, is made of any set of two matching reversed single ‘anti-skid-fin’/“Flexible-Fin” products, which are fabricated from up to five basic metallic and/or from rubber and plastic parts which are hinged to each other to allow at least zero-to-right angle movement. The three key parts of the flexible-Power-fin are, a long triangular shaped ‘fin’, which is hinged by a round metal rod/core, to its complimentary long metal attachment strip for affixing the created “flexible-fin” to the bottom of a hull, along its Hard Chine in wider installation, or on selected Strakes nearer its keels for narrower installation. The forth part, is A-Spacer created for facilitating the proper installation. There is also a fifth part, which is a spring or a set of springs for a mechanically automated leverage system, which is set to close the “flexible-fin” mechanism when the craft is moving very slow or resting.

In this invention, the adding of a pair of “Flexible Power-Fins” to any hull, creates a new autonomously automated flexible yet open venturi like chamber/cavity (which depends on the shape of the hull which is being upgraded), an open chamber which automatically limits the wanted dissected area and amount of water the craft is traveling over, within its seaway, an open chamber which enables the creation of a beneficial new lifting force and new beneficial water-lubricating force where both yield significantly improved smoother ride and superior performance efficiency in the combined flowing dynamics of the converted/upgraded watercraft.

My invention also grants safer control over this new aquatic advantage, for carefree superior turning manoeuvrabilities of the craft by its users. This is achieved by the autonomously automated employment of each matching pair of the innovated flexible-power-fins, to preform as activated and deactivated fins which are properly hinged to the hull, because these flexible-power-fins can open and close and automatically created a variable-opening-cavity within the open-chamber along the wetted undersurface of the hull between the installed flexible-power-fins on any given hull; where the installed flexible-power-fins are serving as active ‘lips’ to the ‘cutting-edge’ of the ‘BTR-HS’ effective area where the wanted “Safely controlled, autonomously automated water dissected lubrication and lift forces of alternating and variable water dissection and lifting plus turning occurs; and this, for harnessing the resulted efficient utility force ‘BTR-HS’ I have discovered, by the user of the craft. The invention creates thereby, three alternating active areas of the open-chamber/cavity under each side of the hull's keel upon turning as well as on both sides at the same time, in forward motion.

My invention has been mechanically automated, for cancelling and activating the wanted advantage; which can be also further automated and powered mechanically or via’ a power control panel of an Electrical/Hydraulic or any equivalent, as to the will and choice of the users of my invention.

This invention, offers the Economic-Benefits of saving on operating costs yet gaining Dynamic-Power as well as gaining mentioned desirable Aquatic-Qualities; by simply acquiring and installing the proper product size and selected kind of flexible-power-fins for any given craft. These are saving in fuel costs for gaining wider economic-cruising-speeds plus faster top speeds and longer cruising range, as well as shock-mitigation from a softer, more enjoyable surfing/flying ride on-top the calm and/or active face of the water surface, additional load-carrying, reduced acoustic-signature; gains which depend on the yet new science for proper location and size of the installed product on a given hull.

In this invention, for the first time, a working model of aquatic surfing, flying, surface-skidding and none tumbling watercraft can be created, by converting an existing hull to use my invention by installing the proper “Flexible Power-Fins” product!

On all existing water-going/sailing small and larger crafts, the new devised apparatus invented creates a FLYING ATOP WATERCREST EFFECT which is similar to “Surfing” and “Flying” without swaying, yet with additional safer firmer control for undertaking/implementing much sharper and faster turning on calm and impressively also on active open water.

On water toys and racing like ‘Personal Water Crafts’ ski-boats, hydroplanes, the much more stable-flying is obtained with ease. In prototype testing, I was also able to climb up along the side of a moving wave, which I never seen done by any watercraft. For seaplanes, and future sea-jets, this invention opens the ocean-plateau for lift-offs plus landings.

On slow and fast ships, the “Flexible Power-Fins” create highly beneficial superior air/gas and water-lubricating area safely housed as open-chamber area for new Surge-forward-velocity along its propelled sea-way track, for reaching higher speed and obtaining fuel saving capabilities as well as improved anti-rolling capability and dynamic-directional stability.

For large and very large applications of the invention, another design patent of “Continuous Flexible-Power-fins” is expected for larger ships and fast displacement hulls, where such specialised “Continuous Flexible-Power-Fins” are employed for curvature hulls in order to maximize the efficiency of this invention.

Single pair of “Flexible Power-Fins” on small crafts, operates as two lifting “Water-Power Wings”, when attached to the bottom or Strake of any new and/or existing hull of seagoing crafts such as boats, vessels, fast ships and also seaplanes!

Two pairs of “Flexible Power-Fins” operate better/safer than one pair, on very fast crafts for facilitating highest speeds safety and or for major changes in total load of the watercraft. Additional sets, plus varying type “Flexible Power-Fins” can be installed as well; and on multi stepped hulls, “Flexible Power-Fins” sets are installed on each following step.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This “FLEXIBLE POWER-FINS” invention is my original simplest mechanism-apparatus for exploiting a new natural phenomenon for improving transportation on the water medium with yet historically significant improved seaway characteristics, and for granting superior performance with new proficient economic energy efficiency—one with few positive commercial benefits of improved riding-performance with some unrolling-stabilizing horizontal anti-tumbling safety and superior dynamic power-efficiency gains within the hull's seaway, increased directional-stability plus superior-turning in motion, wider economic speeds range, reduced acoustic-signature, and the basic elimination of induced-drag, skin-friction, negative wave-making, the power loss to trim-angel on planing hulls; all of which are highly desired aquatic transportation qualities, which can now be added as new advantages, for any and all water going crafts and vessels, useful for faster trading ships, more comfortable recreation and working crafts including safer racing watercrafts!

These advantages are gained by simply employing the autonomous automation, and/or manually opening/unfolding and closing/folding the “Flexible Power-Fins” apparatus, thereby activating and deactivating its beneficial effects.

The “Flexible Power-Fins” can be fabricated from metallic and/or plastic/rubber or composite materials, in order to form a triangular or square or rounded wing-like shaped fin which is hinged by a rod/core along its two moving parts. Preferably, these fins are made of a square shaped strip and a triangle shaped strip which are hinged by a round rod/core to form a matching pair of “Flexible-Power-Fins”. There is also a long Installation and Sealing Spacer strip between the hull and the ‘Flexible Power Fin’ mechanism, for attachment to already existing hulls, and for manufacturers there is an optional concealed fins option.

There is no need to reshape the key parts of the product or method of affixment, as there is no significant beneficial improvement from a foil shape and/or a slit or holed punctured design patent granted to a similar fin part or another offset angled)(±90° operation of the flexible opening chamber, or to reshaping the Rod/core part, or to seek similar design patents changes to the Affixing “Spacer” part or another Action Stopping method other to this innovated combination which constitutes the best simplest “FLEXIBLE POWER-FINS” mechanism.

The product is installed on the ‘hard chine form’ or strake closer to the keel of the ‘hull’ of a craft below its ‘static-flotation waterline’, or is affixed to hulls with ‘multiple steps’, along the under-surface of the hull; by the long “Spacer” shaped part/strip of each individual ‘flexible-fin’, so that the flexible-fin will open up to preferably right angle and be stopped at 90° vertically to the seaway/sea and the watercraft's deck(s) at its rod/core for creating a beneficial autonomously automated flexible ‘open chamber area’, and also be able to fold along the hull's bottom to a 180° so to be snug to the hull in order to cancel each half of the ‘flexible open chamber’ area “alternating cavity”; while noting that the wider section of the triangle shaped part of the fin is installed at the ‘stern’ (transom) of the hull, and the almost pointed section of the triangle shaped fin, as the ‘leading edge’ of the fin, is pointing towards the ‘bow’ reacting to the effective propulsion thrust and piloting of the hull and located preferably in parallel to the craft's keel and the other fin installed along the properly chosen chine/strake so not to add resistance or to cancel the proper operation of the apparatus. On multi stepped hulls few open-chamber areas are created.

This flexible-power-fins' product is Hinged to open preferably only to a Right Angle to the horizontal seaway from its other closed position of being snug to the hull it is installed on, where the keel is midway between each pair of “Flexible Power-Fins” for gaining the best results; yet under this preferable angle the apparatus will not function as intended, and beyond the right angle it will tend to diminish its efficient capabilities.

The product is hinged, so when the craft is in motion, both “Flexible Power-Fins ” are free to open and close in harmony or alternatively to each other in response to the piloting of the watercraft while installed along any matching pair of steps or any selected width between the hard-chine-form of the hull, and are designed to be digging into the water and working like two outer lips of the flexible open chamber as fins which are freely permitted to open and close for enabling superior directional turning, (such as speeding forward, turning, and also backing-up), as well as enabling the craft to climb on its created trochoidal wave within the dissected water area of the open-chamber and ‘lift’ and/plus ‘lubricate’ the hulls movement by its gained beneficial dynamic forces which are thereby positively effecting the moving craft, while it is surfing or flying on the surface of the water, by this created innovative flexible-open-chamber which is derived by the invention of the “Flexible Power-Fins” product line.

In all types of planing hulls, the driving horsepower should be realigned with the hull's keel(s) for achieving yet better performance, as there is no need for propulsion power to create and keep/maintain the ‘planing lift force’ on the hull known as “Trim Angel” or “Power Trim” and the very popular “Trim-Tabs” are not needed as well as their benefit is greatly reduced but not eliminated.

This utility invention features the combination of Autonomous Mechanical Automation with optional Power Controlled Automation choices of systems in one. There is optional designed variable size fins which can be linked for automatic, pre-set or desired size of the fins, for varying and flexing the volume of the open chamber created by the “Flexible Power-Fins ” invention.

The simplest Springs Loaded mechanical fins, as well as a specially shaped fin made for forcing the automatic opening by the naturally resisting water power is recommended; and a manual as well as an Electrical/Hydraulic or any equivalent powered system connection to other or additional control the opening and closing of each and/or both of the “Flexible Power-Fins” by leverage is/are also an option reserved for licensed manufacturer. 

1. An Autonomously Automated Flexible Open Chamber Apparatus along the wetted under-surface of a hull, or hulls of a watercraft, for exploiting the innovated “Safely controlled, autonomously automated water dissected lubrication and lift force” as new technologic capability for creating a new positive dynamic lifting force under the hull, plus house an alternating water lubrication force layer with trapped air plus additional layer(s) of injected gas, air or other lubrication matter(s), plus grants superior turning capabilities. Same multiple open-chamber areas apparatus is created on multi stepped hulls and on multi hulls watercrafts.
 2. A new “Flexible Power-Fins” invention, autonomously automated, or mechanically automated, and/or power-assisted by a system, for forming plus controlling each Flexible Open Chamber with an Automatically Alternating Cavity under a moving hull. A “Flexible Power-Fins” products line made of various materials for granting soft or rigid action and/or change the size of the fin part.
 3. An Autonomously Automated Alternating Cavity created under a moving hull which is automated to be formed by the automated action of the Flexible Power-Fins innovated method for reacting to the changing of powering and piloting a watercraft. 